[Bug] ShellTools fails to run commands due to incorrect cd usage in argument list

[shlomobamberger]

Description

The ShellTools.run_shell_command method attempts to change the working directory by prepending ["cd",

, ";"] to the command when building the argument list passed to subprocess.run(). This approach is invalid and leads to silent command failures.

Root Cause

• subprocess.run() does not interpret shell syntax (like cd and ;) when arguments are passed as a list.
• cd is a shell built-in and does not apply outside the shell context.
• Without a proper working directory or use of shell=True with a full string, the command does not execute as expected.

Steps to Reproduce

tool = ShellTools("/some/path")
tool.run_shell_command(["grep", "-i", "text", "file.txt"])

Agent Configuration (if applicable)

No response

Expected Behavior

The command should be executed in the desired working directory and return actual results, e.g., running grep on a file in that directory.

Actual Behavior

• The tool executes subprocess.run() with an invalid command list, resulting in no output or misleading results.
• No error is thrown, which can lead to silent debugging issues.

Screenshots or Logs (if applicable)

No response

Environment

- OS: MAcOS

Possible Solutions (optional)

#3217

Additional Context

No response

[linear]

SUPPORT-178 [Bug] ShellTools fails to run commands due to incorrect cd usage in argument list

[willemcdejongh]

Hi @shlomobamberger

I was able to successfully get the correct response from tool.run_shell_command(["grep", "-i", "text", "file.txt"])
using the current implementation.
Would you like to share your exact test snippet and dir tree where your file.txt is located so we can investigate this further?